Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Attending sporting events (self.Blind)
submitted 8y ago by [deleted]
I've lost most of my vision the last few years but still have a bit left. I've been a massive sports fan my whole life and loved going to pro games when I could see better.
I know stadiums have ADA seating for wheelchairs or people on crutches, but has anyone ever asked/had success getting ADA seating being visually impaired? Spending money on games when I can't see what's going on has been tough to grasp, but if I had a better angle or view of the game, it would change things and help a lot.
I'm American but I really want to go see an English Premier League game before my vision is gone, does anyone in the UK know if EPL games has preferred seating for visually impaired fans from outside the country?
I know stadiums have ADA seating for wheelchairs or people on crutches, but has anyone ever asked/had success getting ADA seating being visually impaired? Spending money on games when I can't see what's going on has been tough to grasp, but if I had a better angle or view of the game, it would change things and help a lot.
I'm American but I really want to go see an English Premier League game before my vision is gone, does anyone in the UK know if EPL games has preferred seating for visually impaired fans from outside the country?
Bob_0119 2 points
Man, I know exactly where you're at here. My wife and I are huge sports fans as well, and I always feel bad because I miss so much of the game by being at the game that I don't like going. I feel like she misses out because of my disability.
Needless to say I have not had any luck.
Needless to say I have not had any luck.
newlyblind 1 points
Yeah, at least when a game is on TV there are zoom in replays and commentary so I can participate in the conversation, but at a game anymore I just feel lost and like I don't contribute anything.
It's rather frustrating and sad that something I really loved to do is now not the same, and I miss the atmosphere of going to pro games.
It's rather frustrating and sad that something I really loved to do is now not the same, and I miss the atmosphere of going to pro games.
GaryJM 1 points
I take it that audio description of sporting events isn't available where you live? It wasn't common here until a few years ago when there was a review of disabled access to sporting events which found that most events didn't do much at all to assist disabled fans. The Royal National Institute of Blind People ran a campaign called "Soccer Sight" to get football clubs to start offering audio description of football matches and now there's quite a few clubs that offer it. Maybe a similar campaign might work where you are?
Bob_0119 1 points
No. I actually tried to bring up something like that to Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals hockey team. I can tune in to the radio broadcast, but it is often :10 seconds behind the action. Throughout the arena concourse, they have the TV broadcast playing and it keeps up with the action on the ice pretty well. I asked if there was some way they could provide a wireless device or something.
I give him credit for the reply (Leonsis was one of the few pro-team owners who would personally respond to all fan email), but in a nutshell he said he wasn't aware of anything that could do that.
I give him credit for the reply (Leonsis was one of the few pro-team owners who would personally respond to all fan email), but in a nutshell he said he wasn't aware of anything that could do that.
GaryJM 1 points
It seems amazing that East Fife football club - a club in the third tier of Scottish football and with a stadium that holds 1,800 people - can provide audio description and an American hockey team with ten times as many fans can't. The RNIB have a guide for stadium managers who want to set up an audio description service at http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-home-and-leisure-television-radio-and-film/audio-description - it refers to a British company that provide specialist audio description equipment, but again I would be amazed if similar equipment wasn't available in your country. Maybe Mr Leonsis could take a look at it and make the Washington Capitals the nation's most disability-friendly team?
GaryJM 2 points
If you visit $1 then you can see information for each football club on what facilities they have for disabled fans. For example, the page for Arsenal lists:
- their contact person for disabled supporters
- the contact person for their disabled supporters association
- travel and parking information for disabled supporters
- seating - "A total of 200 seats are available and are allocated to both ambulant and blind/partially sighted supporters. Approximately 100 of these spaces are available on a match by match basis. These seats are heavily oversubscribed."
- Other services - "There is an audio commentary system for blind and partially sighted supporters. Contact the club for use of the audio described commentary system."
- their contact person for disabled supporters
- the contact person for their disabled supporters association
- travel and parking information for disabled supporters
- seating - "A total of 200 seats are available and are allocated to both ambulant and blind/partially sighted supporters. Approximately 100 of these spaces are available on a match by match basis. These seats are heavily oversubscribed."
- Other services - "There is an audio commentary system for blind and partially sighted supporters. Contact the club for use of the audio described commentary system."
newlyblind 1 points
Wow thank you very much, this is a great resource and I look forward to spending some time on this site. I'm still unsure if I buy just any ticket and then request assisted seating, or if there are separate tickets to buy for these sections. I will contact the clubs I plan on seeing, thanks!
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